In my last article I tackled what I referred to as Thomistic Compatibilism. This article can be considered a clarification of some of the earlier material while adding more argumentation against the doctrine of divine simplicity (DDS). Thomas Aquinas modeled his understanding of human free will after his take on the divine free will. Thomas … Continue reading A Few Arguments Against Divine Simplicity

Question Tim, First, I want to thank you for your message today, Marci and I both thought it was awesome. In particular, Marci wanted me to let you know that she has struggled for years with why did God give man free will, and your explanation about arranged marriages and your example of how you … Continue reading Free Will in Heaven?

Calvinism has been one of the most popular theological traditions within the church for half a millennia. This reformed view is the tradition in which I was raised. In fact, I believed it, bought it, and taught it as a minister for over a decade. I was not alone in my pursuit to spread the teachings of … Continue reading Death of a Gunslinger

Should data gained apart from the Bible influence our interpretation of it? Before answering that question, consider what could be implied based on a face-value interpretation of the following passages of scripture: Genesis 1:16 – The sun and moon seem to be the largest heavenly bodies. Genesis 1:16-18 – The moon is literally a light, rather than … Continue reading Extra-Biblical Data & Hermeneutics

Question In scripture (Hebrews 4:15) Christ was tempted like us, however He not being born into a sinful nature and lived a perfect life (which is needed in order to be a sacrifice for the unjust). So, was is it really a temptation for Christ? We are tempted with a sinful nature that is prone … Continue reading Could Jesus Have Sinned?

Over the past week, FreeThinking Ministries has taken a close look at various shades of compatibilism. The shade we will be concerned with today is one that is found in both Protestant and Catholic circles and is what I will refer to as Thomistic Compatibilism. Before elaborating this view, I think it’s important to get some … Continue reading Thomistic Compatibilism: The Bad, the Worthless, & the Ugly

When one finally has a firm grasp of the philosophical and theological underpinnings of Calvinistic thought, one cannot bear to wonder whether Calvinism is true because surely no contra-causally free creature would freely choose to believe a system that invokes the logical deduction of God being the author of sin. Of course, many Calvinist’s will not … Continue reading Calvinism & Euthyphro’s Horns

Recently a friend of mine — a philosophy professor who believes humans possess libertarian free will — posted a question on social media directed to Christians. He asked: “If you had to choose between the two, would you rather be a Calvinist (compatibilist version) or an open theist?” I quickly responded with the following: “The ironic thing … Continue reading Yoda & K-2: Semi-Compatibilism & Responsibility

Nothing fascinates me more than investigating evidence for the existence of God. I have spent the past seven years of my life devoting multiple hours every day examining this data and related issues. One of these related issues is that of free will. Though this has been the subject of debate for centuries — among Christians and … Continue reading Libertarian Freedom Fighters